Reflections on the conviction of Derek Chauvin

I am not an American.

But how those seminal trials effect the pyche of people everywhere. Especially the Black male psyche

I cant remember the trial of the officers who beat Rodney King. Perhaps my Mother protected me from seeing that on the news. I do remember seeing the European Football championships the same year so its not as if we lived in a cave. I like to think she shielded me. I cant ask her now. She died 18 years ago

I can remember the OJ trial. Regardless of what we now know, at that time, we wanted him to be found not guilty. And when that verdict was read out, I remember cheering alongside Mum. I went to football training that evening and I felt a sense of, what would you call it…..victory? superiority? vindication? over my White teammates. I was 13. What did I know? Except that I was a Black boy who lived among White people and some of them (though none of my teammates) had treated me differently because of the colour of my skin and now? Now, thanks to OJ we were even? Black people had won, even?

And as I picked up my first born son this morning and shared the news of Chauvin’s guilt with his mother, I said to him ‘Today is a good day’.

What did I mean?

What would have been the reverse, had Chauvin been acquitted?

Yes. It would have been a bad day.

It would have confirmed all our worst fears. The racialised system was unbreakable. Even when they killed one of us so blatanly for all the world to see.

And I’d have to raise my son in that world.

Now, I raise him in this one.

Is he less in danger? No, he is still going to grow up as a Black man in this racialised system. I’ll still have to give him the advice his White friends wont hear from their fathers.

But, a shard of the edifice has been chipped away

I feel hope for the first time in a long time

Today is a good day